Thursday, June 30, 2011

There are few plants which grow almost everywhere in Australia. The humble oleander (Nerium oleander), is such a plant and it is also one of the most useful of all garden plants.

If pruned correctly the oleander can be a magnificent plant, its dense foliage providing privacy where many other plants could not survive. Even on a very busy city road these plants can make a colourful screen against both noise and visual pollution. As it is dense but not woody it is also an effective road-side barrier as it should slow down a crashing car.

Oleanders are adaptable to a wide variety of growing conditions, from the salty winds of the seaside, to dry, sandy desert soils, and wetlands. They can be grown just about anywhere in Australia, preferring a well-drained, sunny position. They will manage to grow well in dry soil but cannot tolerate very wet conditions, although they like plenty of water during their main growing and flowering times.

They have a long flowering season, (summer to autumn) and a wide range of colourful varieties. The most common colour is pink, although there are also red, white and apricot flowers.